"Walking" through the sensory, cognitive, and temporal degradations of healthy aging. Issue 1 (9th May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Paraskevoudi, Nadia; Balcı, Fuat; Vatakis, Argiro
• Other Names: Kingstone Alan guestEditor.; Miller Michael B. guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Volume 1426:Issue 1(2018)
• Page Start: 72
• Page End: 92
• Publication Date: 2018-05-09
• Subjects: aging -- cognitive aging -- gait -- multisensory integration -- sensory processing -- temporal processing; Medical sciences -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Science -- Periodicals; 610
• DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13734
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0077-8923

Abstract

Abstract: As we age, there is a wide range of changes in motor, sensory, cognitive, and temporal processing due to alterations in the functioning of the central nervous and musculoskeletal systems. Specifically, aging is associated with degradations in gait; altered processing of the individual sensory systems; modifications in executive control, memory, and attention; and changes in temporal processing. These age‐related alterations are often inter‐related and have been suggested to result from shared neural substrates. Additionally, the overlap between these brain areas and those controlling walking raises the possibility of facilitating performance in several tasks by introducing protocols that can efficiently target all four domains. Attempts to counteract these negative effects of normal aging have been focusing on research to prevent falls and/or enhance cognitive processes, while ignoring the potential multisensory benefits accompanying old age. Research shows that the aging brain tends to increasingly rely on multisensory integration to compensate for degradations in individual sensory systems and for altered neural functioning. This review covers the age‐related changes in the above‐mentioned domains and the potential to exploit the benefits associated with multisensory integration in aging so as to improve one's mobility and enhance sensory, cognitive, and temporal processing. Abstract : This review covers the age‐related changes in motor, sensory, cognitive, and temporal processing as they relate to degradations in gait in aging adults. Given the potential multisensory benefits accompanying old age, it also discusses the potential to exploit multisensory integration in aging so as to improve one's mobility and enhance sensory, cognitive, and temporal processing.